Veteran Ghanaian Highlife musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley has taken a swipe at the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), describing it as a failed institution.
In an interview on Starr FM, and monitored by GhanaWeb on April 3, 2026, Ambolley stated that GHAMRO has failed to properly compensate musicians for their hard work and creativity.
According to him, there are several measures the music union could adopt to generate royalties for musicians, but it has failed to do so, adding that the leadership of GHAMRO is made up of “jokers.”
“GHAMRO are jokers. Take GPRTU, for example; they play music in buses, and anytime music is used for commercial purposes, payment is required. But they play it for free. TV stations, radio stations, and hotels also play our music without paying. If they were paying, musicians would never go hungry. They play my music on air, yet I’m not paid royalties.
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“I have received about two or three payments… Sometimes, musicians and composers call me and give me GH¢500 for the entire year,” he said.
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley further noted that some musicians in the country cannot afford medical bills when they fall ill.
“When I returned from America, I realised that many musicians I know cannot even afford hospital bills when they fall sick, yet their music is played every day.
“They have been fighting me all the time. Abraham Adjetey and his team are all jokers,” he added.
Watch the full interview below:
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